Shovel-truck optimization study in an opencast mine-A queueing approach

摘要

The shovel-truck combination is the versatile workhorse in small as well as large opencast mining projects. Theoptimization of shovel-truck combination is imperative in order toincrease productivity from this system. The optimization studiesaim at eliminating the excess shovel or excess truck capacity inorder to minimise the shovel and/or truck idling period. Thepresent case-study is the approach of queueing theory to theoptimization of shovel-truck combination in an Indian opencastmine. The formulation of appropriate queueing model has beenundertaken and thd (M/M/C); (FIFO/K/K) model has beenadjudged to be the best model to suit the shovel-truck optimizationproblem. Relationships between the length of queues, waiting timein queue, utilisation of shovel, approximate output from theshovel-truck combination and the costs involved in the system arecritically analysed with respect to variation in the number of trucks.The optimum total cost and the optimum number of trucks in thecase-study are deduced from the proposed queueing model.